Illinois Senate cancels budget votes; leader blames Rauner

Wednesday

Mar 1, 2017 at 12:07 PMMar 1, 2017 at 7:54 PM

Doug Finke State Capitol Bureau @DougFinkeSJR

The Illinois Senate’s “grand bargain” took a major hit Wednesday after the chamber’s top Democrat said Gov. Bruce Rauner “decided to interject himself in this process,” causing Republican support for the plan to evaporate.

Senate President John Cullerton said he was told by Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno that there would be “very little if any Republican support other than herself” for the remaining bills.

“This was always designed to be a bipartisan effort,” Cullerton said at a Statehouse news conference. “Many of these tough bills require support from both parties. As a result, there’s no sense in calling bills to have them be defeated.”

He also issued a warning of sorts to Rauner.

“The governor has got to realize that this is as good as it’s going to get,” Cullerton said. “He’s got to grow up and get this solved. He’s the governor.”

The Senate had planned to call the remaining pieces of the grand bargain for votes Wednesday, including school funding reform, tax increases, workers' compensation reform and a property tax freeze. The Senate also planned to take another try at pension reform.

But the Senate postponed what was expected to be an early afternoon vote on the package. By late afternoon, after both Republicans and Democrats had private meetings to discuss developments, Cullerton announced on the Senate floor that no votes would be taken Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, I’ve been informed that the governor has decided to interject himself in this process and doesn’t want this approved in this form,” the Chicago Democrat said. “I’m told any votes today on this bipartisan plan would reflect that.”

Radogno, who negotiated the grand bargain with Cullerton right through the day Wednesday, said the experience “has been at once both the most frustrating, but rewarding, experiences in the 20 years that I’ve been here.” She also said she still thinks it will come together.

“My only hope is that it’s sooner rather than later because as you all know, we are looking at going into the hole $11 million a day every day, every single day, we don’t get this solved,” Radogno said. “I think there’s enough good will in this building. I know the governor will be joining us in trying to get that done.”

She would not answer reporters’ questions after the chamber adjourned.

Cullerton declined to say exactly how Rauner got involved in the process except to say, “I talked to Republican senators who said they went and saw the governor today, so you should ask them what he told them.”

However, some Republican senators said there were no threats from Rauner.

“I had an opportunity to talk to the governor. He asked a lot of good questions,” said Sen. Karen McConnaughay of St. Charles. “He shares the same concern in ensuring that we make good decisions for the taxpayers of Illinois. If we’re going to increase taxes in one regard, we have to find relief elsewhere.”

That’s an apparent reference to Rauner’s demand that if the state income tax or other taxes are raised permanently, local property taxes should be frozen permanently. The idea is opposed by schools and municipalities that would lose revenue as a result.

Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, also said he can’t support the overall bargain until an agreement is worked out on all of its components, including property tax relief.

Cullerton said the Senate negotiated a plan that calls for a two-year property tax freeze and giving voters the option of imposing an additional three-year freeze on their units of local government.

“Does that sound like a compromise? Yes,” Cullerton said. “That’s how you pass legislation."

Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly issued a statement Wednesday evening saying only, “We appreciate the hard work of the Senate in trying to pass a bipartisan agreement that can become law. Some progress has been made, but more work is needed to achieve a good deal for taxpayers.”

Cullerton did not say what the next step will be.

“It’s not my move,” he said. “Assuming that’s what happened here, that the governor pulled the votes off, we should find out why the governor did that. Apparently, he wants to change the items that have been negotiated. That’s what he’s failed to do for two years.”

Cullerton said the chamber will be prepared to vote on the rest of the package when the time comes.

“As soon as we get word that there’s Republican support for this bipartisan plan, we’ll be ready to vote,” he said.

Information

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The State Journal-Register ~ Street address: One Copley Plaza (corner of Ninth Street and Capitol Avenue), Springfield, ILMailing address: The State Journal-Register, P.O. Box 219, Springfield, IL 62705-0219 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service